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The Jordan Plant Red List, Volume II

This book is Volume two in a three-volume series that documents the conservation status and threat level of all wild plants in Jordan by using the IUCN criteria.

This second volume includes 911 vascular plant species, assessed on the basis of taxonomy, distribution, population size and trends, habitats and ecology and threats, in accordance with IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, Version 3.1.

Five quantitative criteria were used to determine the status of each plant species: Declining population (past, present and/or projected); geographic range size, and fragmentation, decline or fluctuations; small population size and fragmentation, decline, or fluctuations; very small population or very restricted distribution; and quantitative analysis of extinction risk (Population Viability Analysis).

After compiling data for each species, Jordanian plant experts reviewed the information and then presented their findings to colleagues for ratification.

Of the 911 plant species studied, conservation assessments were completed for 903 species. 202 plants have been recorded as Critically Endangered (CR), 221 are Endangered (EN), 63 are Vulnerable (VU), 28 are Near Threatened (NT), 383 are of Least Concern (LC), and 6 are Data Deficient (DD). While the remaining 8 plants were found to be Not Applicable (NA) in the IUCN Red List assessment, as they were unresolved, misapplied, or not found in nature as wild plants.
Two plants (Daphne mucronata Royle. subsp linearifolia (Hart) Halda) and (Anthemis edumea Eig) reported in Volume one have been misidentified as LC, thought were assessed in the second volume as Endangered species since they are endemic to Jordan and have a confined distribution in Jordan.

With the completion of the publication of this volume, a full assessment has been performed for all local trees and all species belonging to the following genera: Iris, Orchis, Anacamptis, Crocus, Tulipa, Origanum, Salvia and Euphorbia.

It should be noted that some of the unresolved plant names which could not be assessed in Volume 1 are now ready and assessed in this volume after the scientific names have been reviewed and examined by specialists.

A total of 1828 species were assessed in the first and second volumes, which represent 72% of Jordanian plants according to figures published in the Plant of Jordan. (Taifour, H and A. El-Oqlah. (2017). Plants of Jordan–An annotated checklist. KEW Royal Botanic Gardens, UK).

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Hatem Taifour is Head Botanist at the Royal Botanic Garden Jordan.